The multiwire cable connection apparatus, with which the wires are pressure connected to pressure contacts aligned in two mutually facing opposite rows has been disclosed in Japanese UM Application NO. 5-52988 and FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the multiwire cable connection apparatus disclosed therein.
The multiwire cable connection apparatus 10 comprises a clamp 20 which holds the end of the multiwire cable 2, a wire-aligning section 30 where plural wires 4 extending from the end of the multiwire cable 2 are aligned, a wire identification section 50 where the wire numbers of the plural wires 4 are identified, a wire distribution section 60 where the wires 4 identified are distributed, and a connection section where distributed wires 4 are pressure connected to assigned contacts 8 of the connector 6.
The clamp 20 includes a support 22 which is roughly T-shaped in plan view, and holding arms 26 which swing freely around the axis 24 at an end of the support 22. Holding arms 26 hold the multiwire cable 2 therebetween under the force of compression springs 28. By rotating the handles 26a of the holding arms 26 opposing to this force, the multiwire cable can be released. The other end of the support 22 is dismountably fixed to the main frame (not shown) of the apparatus. The end of the multiwire cable 2 is clamped so as to face the center of the connector 6.
The wire-aligning section includes a fixed guide 32 which is fixed to the main frame of the apparatus, a movable guide 34, and a space 36 is formed between these for aligning the wires 4. The movable guide 34 can be moved laterally with respect to a support 38, and it engages the wires 4 by compression springs 40 disposed between guide 34 and the support 38.
The wire identification section 50 includes a blade-like sensor 52 which protrudes into the space 42 which is an extension of the space 36, and a wire identification apparatus (not shown) which determines wire numbers of the wires 4 based on a signal from the sensor 52. As is well known by those in this field, the wire identification apparatus is connected to the connector (not shown) at the other end of the multiwire cable 2, and by checking the existence of conductivity between the contact of this connector and the wire 4 contacting the sensor 52, the wire number of the wire 4 is determined.
The wire distribution section 60 includes a fixed part 62 which has oblique surfaces 62a, 62b and is located in alignment with the space 42, and movable parts 68, 70 which are driven by DC solenoids 64, 66, respectively. Respective movable parts 68, 70 have oblique surfaces 68a, 70a which are complementary to the oblique surfaces 62a, 62b of the fixed part 62; and, when they are driven by the DC solenoids 64, 66, they form guide paths 72, 74 (FIG. 4) selectively with the oblique surfaces 62a, 62b of the fixed part 62. As a result of the identification of the wires 4 by the sensor 52, in the case that one of wires 4 is determined to be connected to a selected contact 8 of the connection plane 6a on the right hand side of the connector 6, a signal is sent from the wire identification apparatus to the DC solenoid 64, and as shown in FIG. 4, the movable part 68 moves to form a guide path 72 with the fixed part 62, thereby allowing the passage of the wire 4 therethrough. On the other hand, in the case it is to be connected to the contact 8 on the connection plane 6b on the left hand side of the connector 6 as a result of identification of the wire 4, the guide path 74 is formed between the movable part 70 and the fixed part 62.
The connection section 80 has a frame 82 which is movable to position assigned contacts 8 of the connector 6, and a stuffer 84 which pressure connects the wires 4 to the contacts 8. The frame 82 is driven by servomotor 86 which operates based on a signal from the wire identification apparatus by way of a threaded shaft 88. The frame 82 moves from the position at the approximate center of the connector 6 (home position) in the direction of the arrow A or B along the guide members 90 which are fixed to the main frame of the apparatus. At an end of the frame 82, held by a shaft is a guide block 94 which together with a member 92 of the frame 82 guides the wire 4. Guide block 94 is positioned as shown by a spring 96. When the wire 4 is to be pressure connected to a contact 8, guide block 94 is pushed by the pusher 100 which is formed as part of the stuffer 84, and it rotates to the position of the broken lines 94' against the action of spring 96 to guide the wire 4. Stepping motor 102 drives the stuffer 84 in the direction of the arrow C or D. The rotation of stepping motor 102 moves the sliding block 118 in the direction of arrow C or D with respect to the shaft 112 and guide rails 114, 116, which are fixed to the main frame of the apparatus, byway of links 104, 106, 108, 110. The protrusion 120 at the bottom surface of the stuffer 84 is positioned in the channel 122 of the sliding block 118, and transmits the rotation of the motor 102 to the stuffer 84 whenever the stuffer 84 is to pressure connect the wire 4 to any of the contacts 8 aligned along the connection plane 6a on the right side of the connector 6. Although in the foregoing the case for pressure connecting contacts 8 aligned on the connection plane 6a on the right side of the connector 6 to selected wires 4 has been explained, the see elements are also furnished on the left side of the apparatus in order to pressure connect contacts 8 aligned on the connection plane 6b on the left side to selected wires, and functions similarly.
The problem in the case when wires 4 are pressure connected to respectively assigned contacts 8 using the aforesaid multiwire cable connection apparatus is explained with reference to FIG. 5.
As shown in FIG. 5, in the case wires 4a, 4b are pressure connected to respectively assigned contacts 8, in the space 130 between the multiwire cable 2 and the connector 6, the wires 4a and 4b may be crossed and entangled; and, for example, the wire 4b' may be extended as shown by dash-dot lines if it is not entangled with the wire 4a. It may also end up with the wire 4b extending as shown by solid lines after entangling with the wire 4a. If the wire 4b extends as shown by the solid lines, it remains engaging with the edge 6c of the connector 6 from the time after the wire identification to the time when it is pressure connected to the assigned contact, and a problem arises that the insulation of the wire 4b may be cut. With an increasing number of wires 4a, 4b, the probability of crossing and entangling of the wires rises, and the mutually-entangled wires increase in the space 130, thereby causing more possibility of cutting of the insulation of the wires.
In view of the foregoing situation, the objective of the present invention is to present a multiwire cable connection apparatus which reduces the mutual entangling of wires and prevent the cutting of the insulation of the wires by engagement of the wires with an upper edge of the connector.